SEDRA VAYECHI December 2010 Brotherly love or what?
Jacob’s end is near. He gives a blessing to Ephraim and Menasheh and proceeds to bless the remaining sons and rebukes his older sons.
Jacob’s final request is to be buried in Canaan in the Cave of Machpellah. Joseph asks permission from Pharoah to take his father out of Egypt to be buried outside in Canaan and prepares to make the necessary arrangements.
After the burial takes place Joseph journeys back to Egypt stopping at the place where he was placed in the pit.
Joseph and his brothers arrive back in Egypt. The brothers notice a distinct change in their brother’s attitude toward them, now that their father has died.
They express their fears by saying “Perhaps Joseph will nurse hatred against us and surely repay us all the evil that we did him”. “ LOO YIS T-MEYNU”
Joseph’s brothers were now confused. The regular warm invitations to dine with Joseph while their father had been alive had now suddenly ceased. Now that their father Jacob was no longer alive Joseph did not have to be nice to them out of deference to Jacob.
The brothers worried that the lingering hatred that Joseph must have felt when he was put in the pit and sold into slavery would cause Joseph to avenge himself against them.
This was not so as Joseph did not want to take precedence at the head of the table over Reuven and Judah his older brothers. As Viceroy he should not be seen relinquishing his position of authority.
Joseph was now afraid of Egyptian persecution as attitudes had changed toward the Jewish sojourners in Goshen. He faced accusations that the Jews were seeking power and influence. Because of all these things Joseph stopped issuing the invitations to his Palace.
Rashi remarks that the usage of the word “LOO” translated here as “it may be” or “perhaps”- may have two different meanings:-
Firstly “It may be” refers to the brother’s fear of Joseph’s revenge
In that case Rashi says that this would be the only verse in the Torah when this word “LOO” is applied. Secondly Rashi suggests that it may also imply a wish in which case it can be translated as “Would that (if only that) Joseph will hate us.”
The Baal Haturim accepts this latter suggestion of Rashi.
The Dubno Maggid on this verse offers another explanation.
After Jacob had died, the brothers looked at Joseph on his throne seated in splendour.
They said to themselves “Joseph sits on high only because we threw him into the pit that time in Canaan. Would that ( If only )- Joseph will hate us and repay us in kind for what we did to him. Perhaps we shall be fortunate as he was and come to the same high honours” When the brothers appeal to Joseph for forgiveness, Joseph weeps.
“VAYEIVCH YOSEF BDABROM ELOV”.
“And Joseph weeps when they speak to him”.
He cried because they had suspected him wrongly.
He did not show them enough love. He should have explained his actions so as to lessen their anxiety and ensure that no doubts crept into their minds.
What prompted this anxiety of the brother’s?
Joseph had stopped at the pit on the way back from Canaan. His intention was to pray there and give thanks for the miracle that happened to him when he was taken out of the pit and sold into slavery.
Joseph reassures his brothers
“AL TIRO-OO KI HASACHAS ELOKIM ANI”
“FEAR NOT, AM I INSTEAD OF G-D?’’.
He tells the brothers “Ï will not harm you. In my case G-d intervened and turned evil into good. However if I were to do to you what you did to me then, who can tell whether this would be for your good? Am I in place of G-d? Am I a Judge with power to take G-d’s place.”
We learn from this episode that we have a responsibility to judge people favourably and to judge people positively-
“You shall judge in righteousness your friend/neighbour”.(Vayikra- Kedoshim) 19:15
We have to love our neighbour as ourselves.
The sedra commences with the information that Jacob spent the last 17 years of his life in Egypt. The sedra could just have told us that 'Jacob sojourned ' in Egypt for 17 years, why use the word lived? When we are given the gift of life from Hashem what matters is not the length of days we have but how we live them- quality not quantity. Everyday we have is a blessing to appreciate what we have , from where it came and the elevation of Hashem in public by how we speak and act-' Mikadesh Et Shimcha Borabin' from our daily prayers.
In the Haftorah King David instructs his son Solomon, as he is about to die
“ V’SHOMARTO ES MISHMERET HASHEM ELOKECHA LOLECHET BIDROCHOV”
Guard the charge of Hashem your G-d to walk in His ways.
If we find ourselves in a position that requires us to judge others, we should do so with consideration and compassion.
As I get older I cannot help but reflect that conflicts between brothers, rivalry amongst siblings and disagreements between neighbours/friends is a sickness that is becoming all too common. If we are to be a united nation then we must look to ourselves even if we are not Cohanim and emulate the sons of Aharon " Ohev Shalom V' Rodef Shalom. Love peace and persue peace.
Even if we think we have been wronged it takes a big person to make the first move in reconciliation.
Take it from me , it is a lot easier to be nice than constantly angry.
We do not get a second chance to make a first impression, so go on and make the first move- you will be glad you did.
Wishing you all a brotherly and neighbourly Shabbat Shalom in peace and tranquillity.
From me and TTFN
